Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Family Studies & Human Services / Sonya L. Britt / Briana S. Nelson-Goff / The current three essay dissertation researched the financial behaviors of military service members before and after deployment using primary data collected at a Midwestern U.S. Army installation. The introduction (Chapter 1) reviewed the two financial surveys administered to Soldiers before (N = 701) and after (N = 670) they left for a yearlong deployment to a war zone. The first essay (Chapter 2) explored the financial behaviors, financial knowledge, and financial anxiety as they relate to rank and deployment. The results suggested that financial behaviors after deployment (Time 2) were significantly better than financial behaviors before deployment (Time 1). Rank had a positive effect on increased subjective financial knowledge where all ranks above privates (E1 to E2) had greater financial knowledge. Privates first class, specialists, and corporals (E3 to E4) had significantly lower financial knowledge than their direct supervisors, sergeants and staff sergeants (E5 to E6). Finally, Soldiers reported more financial anxiety before deployment (Time 1) than after deployment (Time 2). Using the framework of social learning theory, the second essay (Chapter 3) expanded the research of military financial behaviors before deployment to more fully understand stress and other factors that influence financial behavior outcomes. Results suggested that past behaviors and some personal factors played a significant role in Soldiers’ financial behaviors. Higher levels of subjective financial knowledge, more internal locus of control, and lower levels of financial anxiety all had a positive effect on financial behavior outcomes. The past behaviors variable had the most explanatory value in Soldiers’ financial behaviors before deployment. Soldiers with any amount of credit card debt had worse financial behaviors compared to Soldiers with no credit card debt, while Soldiers with greater amounts of emergency financial savings were more likely to have better financial behaviors than those who did not have any emergency financial savings. The final essay (Chapter 4) studied the factors that influenced financial behavior outcomes of both Soldiers and college students. This essay used primary data from a college student sample to compare to the before deployment (Time 1) survey data of Soldiers. Findings reported that past behaviors and some personal factors played a significant role in the financial behavior outcomes. Soldiers and college students with higher levels of subjective financial knowledge, more internal locus of control, and lower financial anxiety reported positive financial behaviors The most explanatory concept was that of past behaviors, which revealed that participants with no credit card debt had better financial behaviors compared to respondents who had any level of credit card debt. The conclusion (Chapter 5) highlights the findings of all three essays, which contribute both to the financial behavior literature. These papers also contribute to the research on the personal financial matters of service members. The research has direct implications for policy makers, military leaders, service providers, and financial planners and counselors.

Notre recherche vise à décrire les liens entre l’appropriation des IFRS et les dimensions organisationnelles et managériales des services comptables. Nous avons situé ces deux axes dans l’activité productive des acteurs en mobilisant la théorie socio-économique et la théorie d’agence, afin d’ancrer les IFRS dans le comportement des acteurs et dans l’organisation des entités. A partir d’une recherche-action inscrite dans nos activités d’expert-comptable et de commissaire aux comptes, nous avons identifié trois principes directeurs de réorganisation des activités comptables : ajustement, traitement et distanciation. En associant ces principes aux opérations de la chaîne comptable, nous avons mis en évidence trois niveaux de configuration organisationnelle : organisation ad’hoc, prégnance de la fonction comptable, fonction décentralisée. Dans les deux premiers niveaux, la présence d’une relation de collaboration entre acteurs a pu être observée, alors qu’elle est pratiquement inexistante au niveau de la fonction décentralisée. / The aim of our research is to describe the links between IFRS appropriation and the organization and management structures of the accounting departments. We positioned these two axes within the productive activities of stakeholders thanks to the use of both Socio-Economic and Agency Theories in order to connect IFRS with the stakeholders behaviors and with the organizations of firms.Through action research by virtue of our Chartered Accountant and Statutory Auditor positions we isolated three guidelines of accounting practices reorganizations: Adjustment, Treatment, and Distance analysis. The combination of these guidelines with the accounting process led us to emphasize three levels of organizational structures: Ad hoc Organization, Accounting Prevalence structure, and Decentralized Administration. In the two first organization levels a cooperation behavior has been observed between stakeholders, whereas in the Decentralized structure practically no collaboration has been recorded.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The convertibility that money allows, makes him an object simultaneously universal, present in every moment of economic life and that this constitutes a significant part of social life (Moreira, 2000). In this work, we seek to understand the financial behavior of young people who move to Santa Maria in order to study and therefore find themselves in greater contact with personal finance by distance from their families. The present study is characterized as a descriptive and quantitative, the sample being studied natural population of young graduates from other cities who attend undergraduate programs, using questionnaires based on this scale Schwartz Meaning of Money (1992) adapted by Moreira (2000). 500 questionnaires were obtained to apply the analysis techniques. As the main technique used was factor analysis and Structural Equation Modeling. Other tests were also used to determine the suitability of the model and further results, for example, the Bartlett test of sphericity, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO), among others. The results showed 10 factors: 'conflict', 'positive power', 'progress', 'pleasure', 'culture', 'negative power', 'detachment', 'suffering', 'generosity' and 'stability'. The factor 'conflict' could explain 12.65% of the variance and the factor 'positive power' explained 9.13% of the variance. The highest average was presented by a factor of 'stability' to 3.84 while the lowest average was related to the factor 'suffering' 2.68. / A conversibilidade que o dinheiro possibilita, faz dele um objeto concomitantemente universal, presente em todos os momentos da vida econômica cotidiana e que esta constitui parte significativa da vida social (MOREIRA, 2000). Assim, neste trabalho, busca-se entender o comportamento financeiro dos jovens que se mudam para Santa Maria, RS, Brasil com o intuito de estudar e assim sendo se vêem em um maior contato com finanças pessoais pela distância de suas famílias. O presente estudo se caracteriza como uma pesquisa descritiva e quantitativa, sendo a amostra estudada a população de jovens graduandos naturais de outras cidades que freqüentam cursos de graduação, utilizando para isso questionários baseados na Escala de Significado do dinheiro de Schwartz (1992) adaptada por Moreira (2000). Foram obtidos 500 questionários para aplicar as técnicas de análise. Foi utilizada a Análise Fatorial e a modelagem de Equações Estruturais. Outros testes também foram usados para determinar a adequação do modelo e aprofundar os resultados, como por exemplo: o teste de esfericidade de Bartlett, teste Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO), entre outros. Os resultados mostraram 10 fatores: conflito , poder positivo , progresso , prazer , cultura , poder negativo , desapego , sofrimento , generosidade e estabilidade . O fator conflito conseguiu explicar 12,65% da variância e o fator poder positivo explicou 9,13% da variância. A maior média foi apresentada pelo fator estabilidade com 3,84 enquanto a menor média foi relacionada ao fator sofrimento 2,68.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / Sonya L. Britt / This dissertation, consisting of three studies, explores the factors that influence the financial wellness of employees participating in a workplace financial education program. This dissertation also explores the influence that financial wellness has on the intention to engage in retirement planning activities and perceived retirement preparedness. Data for all three essays was obtained from a Financial Wellness Assessment instrument used in conjunction with a workplace financial education program provided by Financial Finesse (2013). The primary conceptual framework used to guide the three studies was Joo’s (2008) conceptual framework of financial wellness. The first essay examined factors that have been conceptualized as components of financial wellness—financial behaviors, perceived financial knowledge, and financial attitudes. Results showed that employees comfortable with their current level of non-mortgage debt and those with perceived financial knowledge had a greater sense of overall financial wellness. Core financial behaviors and advanced financial behaviors were also found to be associated with financial wellness with core financial behaviors having the biggest effect on financial wellness. Maintaining an emergency fund, having a handle on cash flow, paying credit card balances off in full each month, and paying bills on time were significantly related to greater financial wellness. Personal factors associated with a greater sense of financial wellness included household income, being under age 30, homeownership, being married, and not having children in the household. The second essay examined the influence of various subcomponents of financial wellness on retirement planning intention. Results indicated that retirement was the leading financial topic of interest of employees. Findings also demonstrated that desirable core financial management behaviors and a financial attitude of comfort regarding current non-mortgage debt increased the likelihood of employee intentions to engage in retirement planning activities. Specific financial behaviors associated with retirement planning intention included having a handle on cash flow, paying bills on time, and paying off credit card balances in full each month. Personal factors such as age and income also influenced retirement planning intention as older employees and those with greater household income were more likely to intend to plan for retirement. Having children in the household and non-Caucasian/White ethnicity decreased the likelihood of retirement planning intention. Finally, the third essay utilized Joo’s (2008) conceptual framework of financial wellness to explore factors that predict perceived retirement preparedness. Higher levels of financial satisfaction, perceived financial knowledge, and confidence in current asset allocation increased the likelihood employees demonstrated a sense of retirement preparedness. Core and advanced financial behaviors were also associated with perceived retirement preparedness. Younger employees and household income of $100,000 or more increased the likelihood of perceived retirement preparedness. Results of these three studies demonstrate that financial wellness has a significant influence on perceived retirement preparedness of employees engaged in information seeking activities as part of a workplace financial education program. Key components of financial wellness such as objective financial status, financial knowledge, financial attitudes, financial satisfaction, and financial behaviors were also found to be associated with the intention to engage in retirement planning activities. These findings are relevant to financial counselors, financial planners, financial educators, academicians, and employers dedicated to promoting increased financial wellness among employees.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / Kristy L. Pederson-Archuleta / Viewership of reality television has been indicated to influence behaviors among individuals and groups, as existing literature has linked reality television viewership to an increase in the likelihood of demonstrating other non-financial behaviors. The literature notes increases in risky sexual and dating behavior, increases in tobacco, drug, and alcohol use, and increases in violent behavior. This dissertation examined the perceptions of the influence of reality television on financial behavior. Situational reality television programming was found to have the greatest influence on the financial behaviors of college students. Ten college students were interviewed using a phenomenological qualitative approach. There were four primary findings from this study. The first was that reality television has the ability to inform the financial behavior of college students. Second, an individual’s connection to his or her social system has an influence on financial behavior. Third, reality television does have the ability to influence financial behavior change and fourth, reality television influences the meaning of money as perceived by the respondents. The results of this study provide valuable information to promote further inquiry as to how reality television and other forms of media influence financial behavior.

Long term family fortune preservation is a matter of human behavior; it is a dynamic process of activity or group governance that has to be reenergized successfully in each successive generation to overcome the threat of falling into entropy. Each successive generation has to reaffirm its participation in such government system.Family enterprises are the fundamental actors of the economic activity, and also constitute a stability factor of the productive system, because the majority of them is small or medium-sized (SMEs), and that is why it is interesting to investigate their financial behavior.There is little knowledge concerning financing decisions of enterprises on emerging markets. There is a particular need of empirical work that identifies the financial patterns of developing countries enterprises. It is possible that these enterprises are creating a new financial structure that results convenient for their particular environment. / Long term family fortune preservation is a matter of human behavior; it is a dynamic process of activity or group governance that has to be reenergized successfully in each successive generation to overcome the threat of falling into entropy. Each successive generation has to reaffirm its participation in such government system.Family enterprises are the fundamental actors of the economic activity, and also constitute a stability factor of the productive system, because the majority of them is small or medium-sized (SMEs), and that is why it is interesting to investigate their financial behavior.There is little knowledge concerning financing decisions of enterprises on emerging markets. There is a particular need of empirical work that identifies the financial patterns of developing countries enterprises. It is possible that these enterprises are creating a new financial structure that results convenient for their particular environment.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / This study had as its objective develop a model to evaluate the level of financial literacy of citizens in the South of Brazil, able to integrate constructs related to financial knowledge, financial attitude and financial behavior. To achieve the objective, a survey with 1.576 inhabitants of the seven mesoregions in Rio Grande do Sul has been done. A questionnaire has been adopted as an instrument to collect data and it is formed by seventy-five questions and approaches socioeconomic and demographic variables and three constructs (financial attitude, financial behavior and financial knowledge). The model estimated by structural equation modeling and sociable and demographic variables influence have been measured by parametric hypothesis tests. Results have shown that from the thirty-seven initial variables for financial attitude and financial behavior constructs, eight have been validated. From the two structural models proposed, the one with the best adjustment and that measured financial literacy better was the second order factorial, where constructs financial attitude, financial knowledge and financial behavior have been maintained separately and financial literacy has turned into a second order construct. The constructs descriptive statists has shown an adequate level of financial attitude and intermediate levels of financial behavior for citizens in Rio Grande do Sul. Hypothesis tests have pointed out to significant differences among the three constructs, where the variable age has not shown any difference among groups. Furthermore, the most relevant aspects to financial literacy are related to concern about the future and saving money monthly. / O presente estudo buscou desenvolver um modelo para avaliar o nível de alfabetização financeira dos cidadãos rio-grandenses, capaz de integrar os construtos relativos ao conhecimento financeiro, à atitude financeira e ao comportamento financeiro. Para isso, realizou-se uma pesquisa survey com 1.576 habitantes das sete mesorregiões do Rio Grande do Sul. Como instrumento de coleta de dados adotou-se um questionário estruturado, composto por setenta e cinco questões, que abordaram variáveis socioeconômicas e demográficas e três construtos (ATITUDE FINANCEIRA, COMPORTAMENTO FINANCEIRO e CONHECIMENTO FINANCEIRO). O modelo estimado pela modelagem de equações estruturais e a influência das variáveis socioeconômicas e demográficas foram mensuradas pelos testes de hipóteses paramétricos. Os resultados demonstraram que das trinta e sete variáveis iniciais dos construtos ATITUDE FINANCEIRA e COMPORTAMENTO FINANCEIRO, oito foram validadas. Já dos dois modelos estruturais propostos, o modelo com melhor ajuste e que melhor mensura a alfabetização financeira foi o modelo fatorial de segunda ordem, em que os construtos ATITUDE FINANCEIRA, COMPORTAMENTO FINANCEIRO e CONHECIMENTO FINANCEIRO foram mantidos separadamente e a ALFABETIZAÇÃO FINANCEIRA tornou-se um construto de segunda ordem. A estatística descritiva dos construtos demonstrou um nível adequado de atitude financeira e níveis intermediários de comportamento e conhecimento financeiros nos habitantes do Rio Grande do Sul. Os testes de hipóteses apontaram diferenças significativas nos três construtos, sendo que apenas a variável idade não apresentou diferença entre os grupos. Além disso, os aspectos mais relevantes para a alfabetização financeira são os relativos à preocupação com o futuro e à realização de reservas financeiras mensais.

Many social, political and economic changes that affected intra-family relationships between men and women have occupied over the past century. It could be assumed that these changes also affected the distribution of power between women and men within a family, in particular - financial power. Whereas previously a man was the sole breadwinner of a family and the only manager of the household budget, now when women have new opportunities in the labor market it is logical to assume that women should also be included into the process of money management. The purpose of this study was to examine the mechanisms of financial management in Czech families and find the determinants that affect the choice of allocation systems. The study that was based on quantitative methods surveyed 560 men and women. Statistical analysis showed that the most common type of allocation systems is a financial pool (joint or partial), which indicates that there is a transformation of the distribution of financial power in families. However, traditional gender stereotypes are still evident in the management of family finances. The study also revealed that the main factors that affect the choice of a family allocation system are the level of household income, gender, length of cohabitation of spouses, woman's education and...

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